Re: "Choix de Chansons" par Laborde

[j.south@mail.utexas.edu (james south)]

> The HRHRC has an 1881 facsimile of the 1773 edition of Laborde which
>matches your descriptions except for the spine title which, of course,
>would be different. The facsimile was published at Rouen by J. Le Monnyer,
>1881. Our copy is a large paper copy (28 cm.) but the text block for the
>songs is less than 16 cm. in heigth,  so the 22 cm. of your copy presents
>no problem.
   The exact transcription of the 1773 t.p.:
    Choix de chansons mises en musique par M. de la Borde, Premier
Valet-de-Chambre ordinaire du Roi, Gouverneur du Louvre. Orn'ees d'estampes
par J.M. Moreau, d'edi'ees a Madame la dauphine tome I. A Paris Chez de
Lormel, Imprimeur de l'Acad'emie Royale de Musique rue du Foin Saint
Jacques, M.DCC. LXXIII.
   I have no definitive answer for date of publication [i.e. 1773 or 1774].
Volume 1 has plates dated from 1772 to 1774.
   Hope this helps.

 James South
Technical Services
Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
University of Texas at Austin

  We have tom. 2 & 4 of an untitled, engraved book of songs (words and
>music).  Hope someone can help provide imprint information.  Each song is
>accompanied by an engraved illustration.  The engravers are: D. Nee,
>J.M. Moreau, and Masquelier.  The designers are: Le Barbier, Moreau,
>Saint-Quentin and Le Bouteux. We know:
>
>1)  spine title (contemporary binding): Chansons//de la//Borde
>
>2)  "censor's" comment on last page of each vol.:  "J'ai lu, par ordre de
>Monseigneur le Chancelier, un Manuscrit intitule Choix de chansons, et je
>n'y ai rien trouve qui m'ait paru devoir en empecher L'impression.  A
>Paris ce 22 Juin 1772."  signed: Des Fontaines.
>
>3) frontis. for tome II, seated artist sketching head of woman from
>tombstone, signed in lower left corner "Le Bouteux jnv. Delin. Romae
>1774";  signed in lower right corner "Nee et Masquelier Sculp. 1774"
>
>4) frontis. for tome IV is cupid tying back a curtain or cloth swag in
>rustic setting, 3 instruments visible in lower right foreground.  Signed
>at left: Le Barbier jnv.; signed at right: Nee et Masquelier Sc.
>
>5) First song in t.2 is Le printems, ou, La voliere; first song t.4 is La
>chappelle de Venus.
>
>6) bound height is 22 cm.
>
>
>Closest match we can find is listed in NUC, 1953-57, vol. 27, Music and
>phonorecords, p. 474:
>
>Laborde, Jean Benjamin de, 1734-1794.
>  [Choix de chansons]
>  Choix de chansons, mises en musique.  Ornees d'estampes par J. M.
>Moreau.  Paris, De Lormel, imprimeur, 1773 [i.e. 1774?
>  4 v.  ports.  26 cm.
>
>Can anyone confirm identification or provide alternative?  All help
>greatly appreciated.
>
>(My apologies for lack of diacritics)
>
>Nancy Birkrem
>Special Collections Librarian
>Mount Holyoke College
>South Hadley, Mass.  USA